Construction system and concrete structural member therefor



s. c. WIESMAN 3,550,332

CONSTRUCTION SYSTEM AND CONCRETE STRUCTURAL MEMBER THEREFOR 2 Sheets-Sheet l Dec. 29, 1970 Filed Feb. 18, 1969 INVEN'IUR.

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Dec. 29, 1970 G. c. WIESMAN 3,550,332

CONSTRUCTION SYSTEM AND CONCRETE STRUCTURAL MEMBER THEREFOR Filed Feb. 18, 1969 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 J7 INVIiN'IOR.

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Patented Dec. 29, 1970 3,550,332 CONSTRUCTION SYSTEM AND CONCRETE STRUCTURAL MEMBER THEREFOR George Carl Wiesman, Pompano Beach, Fla., assignor to Houdaille Industries, Inc., a corporation of Delaware Filed Feb. 18, 1969, Ser. No. 800,048 Int. Cl. E041) 1/82, 1/70; E04c 3/26 U.S. CI. 5228 9 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A building construction system wherein a plurality of parallel structural members are interconnected by transversely extending beams supported on spaced columns in a manner to form an elevated floor, roof or ceiling. Each structural member has a pair of opposed, downwardly and outwardly extending wing portions providing heat and light reflecting surfaces. The structural members are further characterized by the wing portion being formed to cooperate with wing portions of adjacent structural members and sheet members overlying an upper surface of said structural members to form longitudinal, air conducting passageways opening into areas underlying the structural members through apertures or openings intermediate the wing portions of adjacent structural members. Additionally, the structural members may include raceways for receiving conduit means encasing electrical wiring to provide electrical connections for lighting fixtures.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the invention The present invention generally relates to a building construction system, and more particularly refers to a structural member acting in combination as a construction system providing integral reflective surfaces and an air distribution system.

Description of the prior art.

Prior art construction systems have distinct disadvantages such as limitations on lateral dimensions, the necessity for additional supporting members, such as columns under each end of each unit, the necessity for additional acoustical or light reflecting surfaces, and the necessity for a separate and relatively elaborate air distribution system to accommodate the occupants of the building structure.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A building construction system embodying the features of the present invention generally includes a plurality of adjacent, parallel structural members arranged to form horizontal wall portions and interconnected along coextensive, opposite end portions by transversely intersecting beams supported by spaced columns. A sheet of material overlies an upper surface of the parallel structural members and may form either a floor surface or a roof structure depending upon requirements of the building and the level within the building in which the structural members are disposed. The transverse beams are confined entirely within vertical limits of the structural members and the overlying roof or floor structure in a manner to form a construction sandwich.

The structural members are provided in uniform, discrete lengths, thereby to enable positioning virtually an unlimited number of the structural members in an adjacent, parallel arrangement with opposed end portions supported by transversely extending beams to provide a construction system unlimited in lateral dimensions. Also, a plurality of the construction units or sandwiches may be positioned in a side-by-side arrangement with interposed ones of the transverse beams interconnecting adjacent ends of aligned structural members.

Each structural member is characterized by a pair of opposed, laterally outwardly and downwardly extending wing portions having underneath surfaces finished in a manner to provide ceiling surfaces with acoustical value and light reflecting properties. The wing portions are configured and arranged to cooperate with the overlying sheet member forming the floor or roof structure to provide longitudinally extending air passageways between adjacent structural members. Additionally, adjacent structural members are spaced apart to form openings intersecting the longitudinal air passageways in a manner to provide a conduit interconnecting room areas underlying the structural members and the longitudinal air passageways.

Vertically extending raceways may be formed through the structural members for receiving conduit encasing electrical wiring to provide electrical connections for lighting fixtures suspended beneath the ceiling surface provided by the plurality of parallel adjacent structural members. The lighting fixtures may be of the direct lighting type, or the sloping surfaces provided by the wing portions of the structural members facilitate utilizing indirect lighting or luminous ceiling installations including an open grate or translucent sheet forming a false ceiling.

By interconnecting the structural members with prestressed or post-tensioned transverse beams, the necessity for providing column members to support each individual structural member is eliminated. Where the structural members have a relatively large longitudinal dimension, steel tendons or strands ma be longitudinally embedded into the members to prestress or post-tension the members.

Exterior walls surround a perimeter of the building to enclose the area underlying the structural members, and partitions may be provided to divide the enclosed area into separate room units.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification and in which like reference characters are employed to designate like parts throughout the same:

FIG. 1 is a transverse sectional view of a building construction including structural members embodying the features of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the construction illustrated in FIG. 1, with portions broken away to illustrate underlying details;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line III-III of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along line IV-IV of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a transverse sectional view similar to FIG. 1 and illustrating a structural member embodying the features of an alternative embodiment of the present inventron;

FIG. 6 is a top plan view of the construction illustrated in FIG. 5 with portions broken away to illustrate underlying details;

FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken along line VII-VII of FIG. 6; and

FIG. 8 is a sectional view taken along line VIIIVIII of FIG. 6.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring now to the drawings, a bulding utilizing members 10, constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention, is shown in transverse cross section generally at 11.

If desired, the building 11 may be constructed"'with more than one level, and a structural sandwich 12 including the structural members forms a ceiling for each level and a floor surface 13 or roof surface 14, depending upon the requirements of the building structure.

In accordance with the principles of the present invention, the structural sandwich 12 comprises a plurality of the coextensive, adjacent and parallel structural members 10 interconnected along opposite end portions by transversely extending beams 16 and having a sheet of material or sheet member 17 overlying uppermost surfaces of the members to form either the fioor surface 13 or the roof 14. The transverse beam 16 is confined within the vertical limits of the structural members 10 and the sheet member 17.

The structural members 10, the transverse beam 16 and the sheet form material 17 may conveniently be preformed and composed of concrete or like material, thereby to provide interconnectable construction members which may be assembled at the construction site into a construction sandwich having virtually unlimited lateral dimensions and being confined within a certain vertical dimension. The construction sandwiches 12 may be disposed in vertical spaced relation to form room areas as at 19 within the building 11 and are supported at spaced points along the transverse beams 16 by columns as at 18. Since the parallel structural members 10 are interconnected along opposite end portions, the necessity for supporting each individual structural member 10 is eliminated. Additionally, it is contemplated by the present invention to provide the preformed structural members 10 in uniform, discrete lengths and utilize the transverse beams 16 for interconnecting longitudinally aligned structural members such as 10, thereby to form a building including a plurality of interconnected construction sandwiches having both parallel and aligned structural members interconnected by transverse beams in a manner to form a lattice arrangement unlimited in lateral dimensions.

Rod members as at may be embedded in the interconnecting beams 16 and and anchored at opposite ends of the beams by appropriate means in a manner to place the rods under tension, thereby enabling post-tensioning of the beams at the job site.

In accordance with the principles of the present invention, the structural members -10 are configured to provide finished ceiling surfaces having acoustical value created by sloping planes and also having light reflecting surfaces for accommodating direct lighting, indirect lighting or luminous ceiling installations, lateral support for demountable portions, raceways for receiving electrical conduit or wiring, and an integrally formed air distribution system. As illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 4, inclusive, one embodiment of the present invention contemplates form ing the structural members 10 with a substantially inverted Y configuration in transverse cross section characterized by a substantially vertical section 21 and a pair of downwardly and laterally outwardly extending wing sections or portions 22, 22.

Adjacent structural members 10 are slightly spaced apart, and terminal edges as at 23 of the wing portions 22 are sloped outwardly to form upwardly converging slots as at 24 between adjacent structural members. Furthermore, the wing portions 22 and vertical portion 21 of adjacent structural members 10 cooperate to form a trough-like space between adjacent structural members. The sheet member 17 forming either the floor surface 13 or the roof surface 14 closes an uppermost end of the trough-like space, thereby to form a series of longitudinal passageways 26 bounded by the sheet formed material 17 and adjacent structural members 10 with the slots 24 formed between adjacent structual members providing fluid communication between the pasageway and the room area 19.

Longitudinal fluid communication between the passageways 26 formed in adjacently disposed sandwiches 12 is provided by openings as at 27 formed through the transverse beam 16 in a manner to intersect the passageways 26. If desired, transverse fluid communication be tween adjacent longitudinal passageways 26 formed on either side of one of the structural members 10 may be provided by transversely formed openings or passageways 28 disposed in the vertical portion 21 of the structural member 10. Thus, the particular configuration of the structural members 10 and the arrangement thereof relative to the sheet formed material or member 17 and the transverse beams 16 forms a series of longitudinal passageways 26 interconnected by the openings 27 and 28, thereby to provide passageway means forming an air distribution system. By selectively eliminating some of the openings 27 and 28, the air distribution system may be divided into zones having individual temperature controls.

Partitions such as 29 may be employed to divide the space or room area 19 into individual room units. The partition 29 has an uppermost longitudinal edge portion 31 characterized by inwardly converging side walls or surfaces as at 32 formed complementary to the converging surfaces 23 forming the slots 24 to permit firm insertion of the uppermost edge portion 31 into the slot 24, thereby providing integrally formed means for laterally supporting room partitions.

The underneath surfaces as at 33 of the wing portion 22 have a relatively smooth finish providing sloping ceiling surfaces which, due to their configuration, have inherent acoustical characteristics for suppressing noise. The ceiling surfaces 33 also provide light reflecting surfaces, and vertically extending raceways as at 34 are formed centrally through the vertical portions 21 of the structural members 10, thereby to provide passageways for receiving electrical conduit or wiring as at 36. The raceways 34 provided in the structural members 10 facilitate the installation of light fixtures intermediate the wing portions 22 of each of the structural members 10. A light fixture of the indirect lighting type, as at 37 may be suspended beneath the structural members 10, and with this arrangement, the ceiling surfaces 33 reflect light into the room area 19. Direct lighting may be provided by a light fixture such as 38 cradled between the wing portions 22 of one of the structural members 10. Additionally, the present invention contemplates the provision of a luminous ceiling including a light fixture as at 39 cradled be tween the wing portions 22 of one of the structural members 10 and a false ceiling including sheet former members 41 composed of translucents material or an opening grating,

When the structural members 10 are formed in relatively long lengths, it is necessary to introduce compressive stresses in the concrete by prestressing or posttensioning of the members. For this purpose, steel tendons or strands 42 may be embedded into the structural members 10 and either prestressed during the formation of the structural member or post-tensioned at the construction site.

The room areas 19 are enclosed by an exterior wall (not shown) extending around a perimeter of the building formed by the sandwiches 12 and the columns 18 and is characterized by doors and windows.

In accordance with the principles of another embodiment of the present invention, as illustrated in FIGS. 5 through 8, inclusive, a series of parallel, adjacent structural members 10 having a generally inverted U configuration in transverse .cross section are interconnected along opposite end portions by transversely extending beams 16 and along uppermost surfaces by sheet formed material or members 17' to form construction sandwiches as at 12 supported in vertical spaced relationship by columns 18' in a manner to provide room areas 19 within a building 11. This embodiment of the present invention generally differs from the first embodiment described hereinabove only in the configuration of the structural member and therefore, like parts are identified with like reference numerals to which a prime has been added.

The structural member 10 has a generally horizontal medial portion 51 interconnecting a pair of downwardly and laterally outwardly extending wing portions 52. Un derneath surfaces as at 53 of the wing portions 52 and the medial portions 51 are relatively smooth to provide a finished ceiling surface for the room area 19' having light reflecting properties. Also, the sloping planes provided by the underneath surfaces 53 of the wing portions 52 provide acoustical characteristics for the ceiling to suppress noise.

Each of the wing portions 52 of the structural members 10 are characterized by an enlarged, lower terminal end portion as at 54 forming vertically extending surfaces as at 56 disposed in confronting relation to vertical surfaces formed on the wing-portions of the adjacent structural member.

In a manner similar to that of the first embodiment of the present invention, the downwardly and laterally outwardly extending wing portions of adjacent structural members 10 and the sheet formed material or member 17' form an air distribution passageway 26 extending longitudinally of the structural members. The parallel, adjacent structural members 10 are slightly spaced apart to provide a downwardly extending air passageway 57 between the confronting surfaces 56 and opening from the longitudinal passageway 26 and into the room area 19, thereby to provide air distribution into the room. If desired, the wing portions 52 of the structural members 10 may also have substantially laterally extending openings as at 58, and the laterally extending openings 58 formed in the wing portions 52 of one of the structural members 10' may be interconnected by a duct work as at 59, thereby forming lateral passageways for distributing air between adjacent ones of the longitudinal extending passageway 26'.

A partition 29' having inwardly converging surfaces or wall portions 32' formed longitudinally along an upper edge portion as at 31' may be positioned with the converging surfaces 32 firmly engaging upwardly converging surfaces as at '61 formed on the wing portions 52 of the structural members 10 in a manner to also form an outwardly flared mouth for the passageway 57.

Light fixtures 37', 38' and 39' are supported underneath the medial portions 51 of the structural members 10' in a manner similar to that described for the first embodiment of the present invention.

From the foregoing, it will be noted that the structural members 10 or 10' of the present invention have a particular configuration whereby the structural members, when disposed in an adjacent, parallel arrangement with opposite end portions interconnected by transverse beams and with sheet material overlying uppermost surfaces, form a construction sandwich unlimited in lateral dimension and confined within a certain vertical space and inherently providing an integrally formed air distribution system, finished ceiling surfaces having acoustical characteristics for suppressing noise and light reflecting properties, and integral means for supporting room dividers or partitions. Furthermore, each of the structural members 10 or 10' is not required to be supported by separate columns, thereby eliminating the necessity for providing a column underneath each of the structural members.

Although minor modifications might be suggested by those versed in the art it should be understood that I wish to embody within the scope of the patent warranted hereon all such modifications as reasonably and properly come within the scope of my contribution to the art.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a building structure,

means forming a plurality of parallel, adjacent struc- 6 tural members each having a pair of opposed, downwardly and outwardly extending wing portions cooperating with said wing portions of adjacent ones of said structural members and defining a trough-like space extending longitudinally of said structural members;

means forming beams transversely interconnecting adjacent ones of said structural members along opposite end portions thereof; sheet formed material overlying said structural members, covering upper open ends of said trough and forming longitudinal air conducting passageways;

means forming columns supporting said beam members and forming room areas underlying said structural members; and

conduit means interconnecting said passageways and said room areas.

2. The building structure of claim 1 wherein said structural members include an elongated member having an inverted Y-shaped configuration in transverse cross section.

3. The building structure of claim 1 wherein said structural members comprise an elongated member having a substantially inverted U-shaped configuration in transverse cross section.

4. The building structure of claim 1 wherein said structural members include relatively smooth underneath surfaces forming ceiling surfaces for said room areas and having sloping planar portions, thereby to form ceiling surfaces having acoustical characteristics for suppressing noise.

5. The building structure of claim 1 and further characterized by:

said structural members having raceways formed therethrough;

electrical wiring means received in said raceways; and

means forming light fixtures carried beneath said structural members and electrically connected to said wiring means.

6. The building structure of claim 1 wherein said tra'nsversely extending beam means comprise post-tensioned concrete beams confined within vertical limits defined by said structural members and said overlying sheet formed material.

7. The building structure of claim 1 wherein said structural members are slightly spaced apart and said wing portions of adjacent ones of said structural members have confronting surfaces forming said conduit means interconecting said air distributing passageway and said underlying room areas.

8. The building structure of claim 7 wherein said confronting surfaces of adjacent ones of said structural members have portions thereof inwardly and upwardly converging toward the opposed confronting surface in a manner to form a downwardly flared opening.

9. The building structure of claim 8 and further characterized by partition means extending longitudinally of said structural members for dividing said underlying room area into separate units and having an uppermost longitudinal edge formed with converging side surfaces fittingly received within said downwardly flared opening.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,167,480 1/1916 Conzelman 52l8 1,940,402 12/1933 Dischinger et al. 52l8 3,289,366 12/1966 Abrams 52234 FRANK L. ABBOTT, Primary Examiner J. L. RIDGILL, JR., Assistant Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R. 

